


I Thought There Would Be Flying Cars

by F1_rabbit



Category: Motorcycling RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hospitals, M/M, Memory Loss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 02:36:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13137321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/F1_rabbit/pseuds/F1_rabbit
Summary: Marc wakes up to see Dani sitting by his hospital bed, but he can't remember how he got there, or what happened in the last fifteen years...





	I Thought There Would Be Flying Cars

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bavarian_angel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bavarian_angel/gifts).



> Merry Christmas sweetie <3

_“I love you, Marc.”_

Marc gasped for air, his throat tight as he struggled to breathe. He tried to fight, but something was holding him down, voices surrounding him as a high-pitched beep grew louder.

A stabbing pain in his arm sent bliss all throughout his body, like he was lying in the comfiest of beds, all warm and snuggly with no need to move.

And then everything went black.

*

Marc woke to the feeling of someone holding his hand, and he tried to squeeze it, but his muscles were uncooperative. He felt like he’d been partying all night after a bad crash that had left him bruised all over.

He wanted to groan, but his throat felt raw.

“He’s awake.” Alex’s voice, and Marc tried to reach out for him but it was no use.

He forced his eyes open, the light blinding him, and he blinked but he couldn’t focus on anything.

And then he saw a face that he’d recognise even when blurry.

Dani.

Marc’s heart fluttered, he’d always had a crush on Dani, and now he was here in his… motorhome? Hotel room?

He tried to ask where he was, but nothing came out, and Alex let go of his hand. Marc tried to reach out for him, but his arm wouldn’t move.

Fear surged through his body, and he let out an ungodly scream, a bloodcurdling wail that had people charging into his hospital room, all of them trying to calm him down, but it was no use.

The sedative flowed through his veins, sending him back to the bleak and empty void.

*

Marc groaned as he rolled over on to his side, someone stroking the side of his face as he struggled to open his eyes.

“Alex?” Marc croaked, coughing as someone pressed a straw to his lips, and he took a sip of the cool water, drinking it all down until it gurgled at the bottom of the glass.

“It’s me.”

“Dani?”

“How are you feeling?”

“Like I’ve been hit by a truck.” Laughing turned into a cough, but then he felt tears dripping on to his hand, and he tried to sit up before slumping down against the pillow in defeat.

“I’m sorry.” Dani sniffed, kissing at the back of Marc’s hand as he clung on to it.

Having Dani close felt so good, and yet if he was in a hospital, something horrible had happened.

“Is he awake?” An unfamiliar voice, and Marc tensed up, Dani stroking his hand.

“Yes.” Marc saw the white blur hovering over him, a doctor or nurse, the lights making them look like they had a halo, and for a worrying second he feared the worse. “What happened to me?”

“You were in an accident, and you’ve been in a coma for eighteen days.” They leafed through a file. “Although I can see you’re a regular visitor.”

“Occupational hazard.” Marc laughed before coughing some more, Dani offering him water.

“You can come in. He’s awake, but we’ll have to wait for the sedatives to wear off before we can assess him.”

“Thank you, doctor.” His mum’s voice, trembling with relief, and every time he heard the pain his mum was in he cursed the fact that racing caused her so much agony.

There were voices whispering, but he couldn’t hear what they were saying.

“I have to go,” Dani said, his voice still shaky from the tears, “But I’ll be back this evening, okay?”

“Thank you.”

Alex took Dani’s place holding his hand, and Marc yawned, his eyelids drooping as his head sank into the pillow.

“We’ll all still be here when you wake up.” Roser kissed him on the forehead, pulling the blanket over him as Alex stroked the side of his hand with his thumb.

*

Marc woke with a jolt, his heart racing as he looked over to see Dani asleep in the chair next to him, and two blurs that looked like Alex and Tito asleep on the floor.

Sitting up made him dizzy, and he coughed, waking up everyone as they all rushed over to his side.

Alex held his hand, Tito fetching the water as Marc heard voices in the distance. His dad, and Dani, whispering about something.

“I couldn’t find anyone to babysit her at short notice.”

Dani had a daughter. Marc’s heart shattered into pieces, his stomach churning, making him cough until he was dizzy.

“I’ll take her,” Alex said, and Marc squeezed his hand tighter.

“You stay, I’ll look after her for an hour.” Tito stood up, hugging Alex before leaning in to whisper to Marc. “I’m glad that you’re okay, bro.” Tito gave him a kiss on the cheek, his blond hair tickling his ear as he tried to smile without having a coughing fit.

“Thanks, bro.”

“Do you want to get ice cream with uncle Tito?”

The little girl spoke, she sounded so young, and Marc tried to work out if Dani had a daughter he didn’t know about, or if this wasn’t the year he thought it was.

Dani dragged over a chair, sitting down next to Alex so that he could rest his hand on Marc’s arm. Now that the effects of the sedatives had cleared, Marc could feel a ring on Dani’s finger.

“Either you kept your marriage and your daughter a secret, or this isn’t 2012.”

The silence gave Marc his answer, and he took a breath.

“What year is it?”

Alex jiggled his leg, and Marc squeezed his hand, staring at Alex until he spoke.

“2027.”

Marc laughed, but no-one else did, and he felt the room spin, his head lolling back as he forced himself to breathe.

“The doctor said maybe photos would help jog your memory.” Dani rummaged through a bag, before passing what looked like a tablet to Alex. “And I brought your spare glasses.”

“Glasses?”

“Yes?” Dani handed them over, and Marc squinted at him, but he still wasn’t in focus.

Julia opened the glasses case, slowly putting them on as Marc flinched, but then the world came rushing in, crystal clear as though he was wearing a virtual reality headset.

He could see that his parents had aged, and even Dani, who always had a boyish charm to him, wasn’t immune to the ravages of time.

“Wow, your hair is more grey than black.” Marc reached out for Dani, and he moved closer so that Marc could stroke his hair.

“You like?” Dani smiled, a flicker of his usual cheery grin, but considering they were in a hospital, Marc knew that he wasn’t going to be happy.

“And you, look at these little grey streaks.” Marc stuck his tongue out, Alex self-consciously running his fingers through his hair.

“Tito has no grey hair,” Alex said, rolling his eyes, “Can you believe that? He’s nearly forty and he’s still blond.”

“Nearly forty…” Marc shook his head. “I can’t believe it.”

“I think it’s photo time.” Alex put the rail at the side of the bed down, sitting the tablet on Marc’s lap before sliding in next to Marc as he shuffled over. “What’s the last thing that you remember?”

“I won the Moto2 championship, and we went out to celebrate, and then I woke up here.” Marc could see the worried looks, fifteen years was a lot to forget.

“What do you want to see first? Your first MotoGP win?”

“Yes.” Marc grinned, watching the video clip as he crossed the line, and he smiled when he saw that Dani was there too. “Look at you, so young.”

Dani snorted in laughter, his eyes tinged with sadness as he watched them all on the podium.

“I felt like a god that day, and that was when I knew I could win the championship.” Marc smiled, the memories trickling back in. “And I won the next year too, I was unstoppable.”

“You were.” Dani reached out to hold his hand, and his silver wedding band glinted in the light.

“So, who’s the lucky woman?” Marc held up Dani’s hand, admiring the ring as Dani froze.

“It’s not a woman.”

“Who’s the lucky guy?” Marc stared at Dani, the video still playing quietly as Marc saw Dani and Jorge hugging. “Oh my god, did you marry Jorge?”

Marc burst out laughing, a shriek so loud that the doctor came running into the room, panic written all over his face. Marc could see him clearly now, older, with long grey hair that would have once been lush black waves, and a pair of glasses so thick they looked like magnifying glasses.

“How are you feeling, Marc?” The doctor came over and Alex moved out of the way.

“Not too bad.”

“The nanotechnology has repaired the damage you sustained in the crash, but with head injuries, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get all your memories back.”

Marc didn’t understand what nanotechnology was, it sounded like something out of a sci-fi film, but he didn’t care what they’d done to fix him, he was just glad to be alive.

“I can remember some things, but others just keep slipping through my fingers.” Marc frowned, his face scrunched up in concentration.

“Don’t force it, if they’re there, they’ll come back when they’re ready.”

“What if they’re not there?” Marc’s lip trembled and four pairs of hands all reached out to comfort him.

“Seeing old photos and videos can help fill in the gaps.” The doctor flashed a light in his eyes, and Marc followed it, blinking to get rid of the yellow spots floating in his vision. “I’m sure your family will all be able to support you with that.”

“We will. Thank you, doctor.” Roser clutched Marc’s hand, and Marc felt the guilt well up inside him. “Will he be able to come home for Christmas?”

“We need to keep him under observation for seventy-two hours, but provided he’s stable he’ll be ready to go home on Christmas Eve.”

“Thank you.” Julia brushed a tear away, and Marc felt tears running down his cheek.

“I’m sorry for ruining Christmas.”

“Oh honey, you didn’t ruin Christmas.” Roser sniffed. “We’re just so grateful that you’re okay.”

That was all it took to have them crying, the weeks of worrying flooding out in a river of tears.

***

Three days had never felt so long to Marc, even with everyone visiting him, and Alex had made sure that he had seen all of his twelve plus one championship wins.

It had always been a dream that one day Alex would be his teammate, and he couldn’t be prouder of him.

Dani had visited twice a day, like clockwork, but he had been quiet, even for him.

Marc knew that he had no right to ask, and he had a strange feeling that maybe the reason Dani wasn’t talking about his marriage, was because they were having an affair.

He’d got a few glimpses of them making love, although he couldn’t tell if that was a fantasy, or if it had happened before Dani was married.

“Ready to go home?” Tito bounced into the room, smiling his dorky grin as Alex rushed over for a hug.

“Yes, I’m so bored of hospital food.” Marc struggled to put on his jacket, leaving Tito to gather up his bags.

“Mum’s made all your favourites.” Alex glanced at Tito, worry filling his big green eyes, and Marc stumbled, Tito catching him as Alex wrapped his arm around his shoulders.

Something was going on, and Marc was scared that he was the problem.

*

Tito talked for the entire way home, telling Marc all about his up-and-coming junior riders. Several times Alex rested his hand over Tito’s as he changed gear, before snapping it away when he realised Marc was watching, although Alex was mostly just staring into space, lost in his thoughts.

“You two aren’t exactly subtle.” Marc smiled, and Alex stuck his tongue out at him. “So, how long?”

“Two weeks.” Alex blushed as Tito reached out to rest his hand on his knee.

“Oh.” Marc stared at the back of Tito’s seat, biting on his lip.

“Mum and Dad were busy with… and Tito was there for me.”

“I’m happy for you guys.”

“Thanks, bro.”

Marc smiled, but then his thoughts kept swirling through his head, was he really the kind of guy to sleep with someone when he knew they were married?

*

Coming home felt like a momentous occasion, it was where he had recuperated after every major injury. The house was filled with Christmas magic, and the smell of coffee and chocolate made him feel alive.

There were hugs all round, and they ushered Marc through to the living room to see Dani sitting there, fidgeting with his wedding ring.

Marc found himself instinctively mimicking Dani’s movements.

Dani glanced at everyone, and they all retreated to the kitchen, the sound of a child giggling far louder than the coffee machine.

“There’s something I should have told you.” Dani took a deep breath, unable to look Marc in the eyes. “But I was hoping that you would remember it on your own.”

“Fuck, we’re having an affair, aren’t we? Have you split up with your husband because of me?” Marc bit his lip, wondering how he could create so much mess and not remember it.

Dani howled with laughter, his body trembling as he gasped for air, and Marc tried to get sense out of him but he couldn’t. He calmed down when he saw the tears in Marc’s eyes, and Dani held out a small jewellery box.

“This is yours, I was just keeping it safe while you were in hospital.” Dani opened the box to reveal a plain silver band, and he slid it on to Marc’s finger. “There’s no pressure, and we don’t have to share a bed-“

Marc cut off Dani’s rambling with his lips, fireworks flying as he grinned, glad that his instincts seemed to remember exactly what to do to leave Dani breathless.

“I love you, I have loved you for a very long time, and I hope one day that I can remember all the happy times we’ve spent together, but even if they never come back, all I want is to spend the rest of my life making new memories with you.” Marc sniffed as Dani kissed away his tears, and Marc took a breath as everything fell into place. “Does this mean that… the little girl, she’s my daughter?”

Dani nodded, his big brown eyes moist with tears. “Are you ready to meet her?”

“Yes.” Marc wiped the tears from his cheek, and Dani gave him a kiss on the forehead before heading through to the kitchen, everyone whispering as Dani reappeared with their little girl.

“Sofia, are you going to give your papa a hug?”

She held out her arms, and Marc lifted her on to the sofa, wrapping her up in his arms as he tried not to cry.

“Are you feeling better, papa?”

“Much better now I’ve got a hug from you.” Marc sniffed, and Dani cuddled in next to them, holding them both as Marc tried not to cry, but the feeling of holding his daughter for the first time brought all the emotions to the surface.

“Don’t be sad papa, it’s Christmas.”

“These are happy tears.” Marc took the tissue that Dani handed him, blowing his nose like a train horn and making Sofia laugh.

Dani gestured for everyone to come in, the smell of warm cookies wafting over, and Sofia reached out for one, trusting that her papa would hold her tight.

“We thought it would be nice to have a day watching family videos.” Roser handed Dani two cookies, and Sofia devoured them both in two bites.

“That sounds nice.” Marc took a breath so that the tears didn’t come back, and he smiled as Sofia made herself comfy on his lap, Dani cuddling in next to them.

He was glad that his parents finally looked relaxed, happy that their family was all together for the holidays.

“I think we should start at the beginning,” Alex said, hooking up his laptop to the tv screen.

A video of a race started to play, and Marc watched in fascination. Circuit de Catalunya, 2021.

There were lots of hugs, and Alex was there, looking so proud of himself as Tito ran up to celebrate with him.

“This was my first win in MotoGP.” Alex sat back as Tito shuffled closer, both of them about as subtle as a flashing neon sign. “And what does everyone remember it for?” Alex rolled his eyes, grinning as Dani held his hands out in apology.

Marc watched as Dani got down on one knee, holding out the ring that he was now wearing, and Marc sat there with his mouth hanging open.

“You proposed on the podium?”

“I was terrified, but I did.” Dani smiled, reaching out to hold his hand, and Marc watched as the crowd cheered for them. “I think we should watch the wedding next.”

Marc nodded, and Alex set it playing. A sea of people in stunning suits and magnificent dresses swarmed around the old church, here in Cervera.

Eric ran out half-way to get the rings, only to run back in apologising when he realised that they were in his trouser pocket all along.

And then there was much drinking, before Dani whisked him away to their honeymoon.

“Do you have a video of the honeymoon?”

Dani blushed, mumbling under his breath, “I’ll show you later.”

Marc laughed, Sofia yawning after a long day.

“So, what do you think of the future?” Dani giggled, and Sofia yawned, full of cookies and hot chocolate.

“I’m kind of disappointed that 2027 doesn’t have flying cars.”

“Me too, papa.”

**Author's Note:**

> *and obviously none of this actually happened, it is all a figment of my twisted imagination ;)


End file.
